SEDRO-WOOLLEY — Janicki Industries broke ground July 10 on an $800 million manufacturing campus in Great Falls, Montana, and marked the occasion with a gift carved close to home: a wooden bison cut from a western red cedar log at this year’s Loggerodeo.
Great Falls Mayor Cory Reeves accepted the bison on the city’s behalf. It will be displayed in the hallway of the Great Falls Civic Center downtown, the company said on its website.
Company officials called the gift a reflection of Janicki’s hometown tradition and the start of a new relationship between Sedro-Woolley and Great Falls.
Speakers at the groundbreaking included Janicki President John Janicki, CEO Peter Janicki, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, according to the company.
The Great Falls campus’ first phase is set to open by the end of 2027.
The bison was carved by Mark Colp, a longtime chainsaw carver who has competed at Sedro-Woolley’s Loggerodeo for more than 20 years. Colp, who has carved for 45 years, worked in leftover western red cedar from last year’s competition.
He said he chose cedar over redwood because it is native to Washington, according to the website.
The finished piece stands about 74 inches tall, 57 inches wide and 78 inches long. Colp completed it in roughly 20 hours over three and a half days.
He carved the full animal rather than a head-and-shoulders version so it would read from every side, according to the company.
About 97% of the work was done with a chainsaw, with hand tools used for final cleanup and a light burn added for color.